Chapter 922: The Secret of Hunting

There were too many words in his passage that a youngster would not understand for many years.

“Interests, factions, conflicts…”

A confused expression appeared on Leaf’s face.

“That means everyone wants to be an ace gladiator, but in this game of life and death, there is only one winner but many, many losers. If the losers join forces to deal with the winner, no matter how strong the winner is, it will be very difficult for him to deal with it. Perhaps, he will need a ‘little’ help,” the black-haired rat explained.

That was true.

At Picturesque Orchid Lake, gladiators were not forced slaves. On the contrary, they represented supreme glory and countless benefits.

As long as they could win consecutive battles and become an ace gladiator…

Even the infamous prisoners of war could enjoy the cheers of the masses.

Even if they did not have the blood of Turan, centaurs, boars, and elephant people flowing in their bodies, even if they had wings and shells, they could still become nobles and generals of the Blood Hoof Clan.

There were also the most delicious totem beast flesh, weapons made from bones with natural totem patterns, and even the most powerful totems.

Everything that the warriors of Turan desired could be obtained through victories in the arena.

Therefore, no one was against it. They were even willing to pay any price to become an ace gladiator.

The competition between the “aces” was obviously as the black-haired rat people had said. It was extremely intense.

Leaf had never been to a real gladiatorial tournament in Black-corner.

However, the games there were a hundred times crueler than the games in the village.

Gladiators had a high mortality rate.

Even a recognized trump card often did not last more than a few dozen games.

Not to mention, it was the beginning of the age of glory.

The five great clans and the small and medium-sized clans are all in full swing to recruit warriors as well as build an army.

It was easy to get a thousand soldiers but hard to get a general. The tradition of the Turan people was to select the bravest generals from among the ace gladiators.

Therefore, the competition during this period was a hundred times more intense than usual.

Even countless noble children with glorious bloodlines would enter the arena and use their indisputable performance to win the opportunity to lead troops into battle.

“That’s right.”

After hearing Leaf’s introduction, a profound light surged in the black-haired rat’s eyes.

He said, “In such a fierce and cruel arena, there have always been ace gladiators who have won glorious victories and stood at the peak of unrivalled strength. However, because of the successive bloody battles and the accumulation of internal injuries, they gradually lose their strength and may be defeated by stronger challengers at any time.

“There are also some challengers who show their brilliance at the beginning. They win many battles and gain a fierce momentum. They pose a great threat to the ace gladiators. Then, they are attacked and persecuted by the ace gladiators’ despicable and shameless methods.

“There are also some ace gladiators who have an unknown past and have accumulated unresolvable old and new grudges. Not to mention, the Turan people are honest and upright people who are willing to admit defeat. I refuse to believe that as long as they are human, no matter how beautiful their words are, how could they not have any emotions and hatred?

“Alright, even if there’s no hatred, what about conflicts of interest? I’ve heard that the most bountiful prizes in the gladiator arena are the extremely powerful totems, and totems are the source of power for us Turan people. Since they’re the most powerful totems, it’s naturally impossible for everyone to have one. Only the winner is worthy of it.

“In that case, can the loser be convinced and watch the winner take everything without any ripples?

“There must be a conflict when it comes to this.

“If there is a conflict, there is a chance for us.

“I want you to observe carefully and find such a person who is fully dissatisfied with other ace gladiators and even with the arena itself.

“Whether he was once glorious and is about to fall, or young and full of vigor but always one breath away from reaching the top, or he is facing an even greater crisis, or he has just obtained an incomparably powerful totem but attracted the covetous eyes of countless losers, or he has an irreconcilable hatred for an even stronger opponent whom he cannot defeat—in short, I want you to find an ace gladiator who is about to fall from the clouds into the abyss, or is looking up at the clouds in the abyss but is unable to climb up by relying on his own strength. Do you understand?”

It was a very long paragraph.

But Leaf still understood.

The higher you climbed, the harder you fell.

In Half Mountain Village, those who fell from the cliff and died were usually the most agile. They would climb to the highest point of the mandrake tree to pick its fruit and grasp the golden fruit in their hands.

For such people, should they fall into the abyss, even if it was not their companions’ hands that reached out, but venomous snakes that hissed and bared their teeth, they would not let go.

As for looking up at the clouds from the abyss…

Was that not what Leaf was doing?

“You’re smarter than I thought.”

Seeing the young man’s expression of sudden realization, the black-haired rat was slightly surprised and very satisfied.

He added, “After you find a suitable candidate, the next thing will be simple—you just need to find an opportunity to walk around in front of him and unintentionally reveal the ability that I taught you.

“I believe that the ace gladiator in the Blood Skull Arena should be someone who knows the value of such abilities.

“It doesn’t matter whether he threatens or tempts you. Just tell him about my existence.

“For now, this is what I want you to do. When we meet again on the ground, we can slowly study the next step of the plan.”

Leaf’s thoughts raced.

He understood the black-haired rat’s intentions.

“You want to attract the ace gladiator’s attention and become his servant, assistant, and companion?”

“But why do you want me to go? Wouldn’t it be more convenient for you to do it yourself?” the youth asked in suspicion.

For some reason, he listened to the black-haired rat confidently strategize and point out the maze.

Out of nowhere, the youth had a terrifying thought.

Even though the black-haired rat was covered in wounds as if even the last drop of his blood had flowed out…

As long as he wanted to, he could kill all the rat people in the dungeon.

No, it was not just this dungeon.

It was not just the rat people either.

The youth shivered deeply.

“For the time being, I don’t really want to attract too much attention, at least not before my injuries recover.”

The black-haired rat calmly said, “The darkness is my greatest advantage. It can help me think more calmly and discover enemies who are also lurking in the darkness but are not as calm as me.

“Tell me, Leaf, have you ever hunted?”

Leaf shook his head.

Most of the rat people were growers and gatherers.

Hunting was the work of the brave, and it was also the right of the brave.

“When hunting, many people follow their prey in the open. They chase after their prey with great fanfare, exhausting them and making them dizzy. But in the end, they are not the ones who deal the fatal blow to their prey. Instead, it is the ones who hide in the darkness, calmly observing the whole situation and locking onto their prey’s vital points.”

The black-haired rat said, “Growers and gatherers are both indispensable professions in civilization. However, if you want to become stronger and exact revenge for your family and home, you must become a hunter, a… reaper.”

The eyes of the black-haired rat made the young man’s mouth dry and his heart tremble.

He really desired to know what the black-haired rat wanted to hunt with him.

Nevertheless, he vaguely realized that even if the black-haired rat told him the answer, the current him would not be able to understand it…

Or rather, he did not dare to understand it.

“I-I can’t do it.” Leaf swallowed hard and stammered.

“What you’ve described is too complicated and difficult. It’s impossible for me to do it.”

“How would you know if you don’t try?”

The black-haired rat said, “Even if you don’t have confidence in yourself, you should at least have confidence in my judgment. Why do you think I spent so much precious energy talking to you and even invested all the energy I can use to heal myself into you?

“It’s not just because you’ve cultivated your vitality magnetic field and have the ability to soften as well as extend your body at will.

“It’s also because of your performance when you fought for the fried mandrake fruit just now. You observed the situation carefully, thought calmly, went into stealth and hibernation mode, created chaos, took advantage of the chaos, and quietly launched the final attack.

“Leaf, you have the potential to become an assassin. This mission is not difficult for you.

“Also, you haven’t been brainwashed by ‘glory’ and forgotten all your hatred, right?

“Then, why don’t you give it a try and walk out of here together with me? Let’s go and see what the hell is hidden behind this so-called ‘glory.’”

The black-haired rat opened his palm to Leaf under the dirty water.

Through the dark water, the young man seemed to see the lines on the other party’s palm shine like a weak golden flame.

The strange golden flame had a magical attraction, which made the young man subconsciously reach out.

His hand immediately stuck to the black-haired rat’s hand.

An electric current from the black-haired rat’s palm suddenly drilled into Leaf’s arm. It moved along his blood vessels and nerves, and went straight to his heart.

Leaf immediately widened his eyes.

He felt a thousand cuts and a heart-wrenching pain.

He remembered that in his hometown, a lightning bolt had struck a mandrake tree at the peak of the mountain. It split the towering tree in half from the middle and burned it into charcoal.

That was the pain he felt right then!

However, he could not make a sound or move his limbs.

It was as if a mysterious force was controlling his every muscle and tendon.

Even the trembling of his muscles could not be controlled.

A few red-eyed rat people noticed the two’s strange behavior.

Despite that, they were not interested in meddling in other people’s business.

In the depths of the dungeon, where energy was extremely precious, everyone was recuperating and quietly waiting for the next battle of survival, when food was released.

No one was willing to waste their energy on two people who were bound to die.

After an unknown amount of time…

The intense pain receded like a tide.

Leaf gradually regained the ability to scream and move.

However, the inhuman pain had disappeared without a trace.

In its place was a refreshing feeling that the youth had never experienced before.

Leaf felt that the shining lines and arrowheads in her body seemed to be thicker and brighter than before.

The shining little people dancing in his mind were also more active than before.

Clenching his fists softly under the water, he could feel that his body was filled with unprecedented strength.

“This is…”

Leaf could not believe it. He was both surprised and happy.

“Don’t be too happy yet. The refinement is not over.”

The black-haired rat said, “Right now, you must lie down, focus your mind, and calm down. Feel the spirit energy that I have just poured into your body and make the spirit energy rotate with your own strength.

“Remember, the faster the glittering lines and arrowheads rotate, the more they can flow to your glabella, your fingertips, your heart… The more places they go, the stronger your strength will be.”

“I-I understand now, Uncle. Thank you, I will definitely train hard and complete the mission!”

Leaf was so excited that his face turned red. He no longer doubted the black-haired rat. After thinking for a moment, he respectfully asked, “I almost forgot. How should I address you, Uncle?”

“My name is Meng Chao.”

A faint light flashed in the eyes of the strange black-haired and black-eyed rat as he calmly answered.

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